Packing Steps and Tips for Wrinkle-Free Travel

Packing for a trip can be overwhelming, especially for people who don’t travel often. Some people pack way too much while others run out of clean clothes half way through their journey. Here are five tips for remembering everything and arriving with a wrinkle free clothes.

STEP 1: Gather the clothes you think you’ll need and lay everything out on the bed. Select clothes that are similar in color. Match up ‘outfits’ as you’re packing so you don’t end up with patterns and colors that don’t work well together. Pack more tops than bottoms. For a five-day trip, you’ll likely need five shirts, two pairs of slacks or jeans or shorts.

STEP 2: Choose fabrics that resist wrinkles such as knits, wools and cottons. Think about the weather you’ll encounter and pack clothes that can be layered.

STEP 3: Roll softer garments and fold stiffer ones. Underwear, T-shirts, jeans, cotton pants and knitwear won’t wrinkle when rolled tightly but stiffer fabrics that are more prone to wrinkling should be folded.

STEP 4: If you’re packing shoes, place them at the very bottom. Be sure to stuff shoes with socks or rolled belts to help them keep their shape. Next pack heavier folded garments towards the bottom and lighter items on top. When your suitcase is in the carrying position, the heavier items won’t be squashing (and wrinkling) the lighter items.

STEP 5: Lastly, tuck small items such as underwear and socks around the outside to fill in the gaps. This will keep clothes from shifting around.

TIPS:

• When packing heavier items, alternate hems and waistbands to conserve space.
• Use thin plastic dry cleaning bags between clothes. They’re slippery so clothes are less likely to stick together and wrinkle.
• Pack travel-sized toiletries in re sealable bags to stop leaks and popped tops from getting all over your clothes.